Finding new ways to improve how we test our games
Time for talent with André Krüger
Meet André Krüger, one of our talented QA Automation Engineers. Despite having the look of a true Viking, he is originally from South Africa. His colleagues would describe him as fun, eager to learn and a great friend! 💜 He is also trained in hypnosis. So there’s nothing more to really do right now but just to relax… relaxing deeper and deeper… and the more you relax the better you feel… and the better you feel the more you relax … 💆♂️
Tactile: Hi Andre, could you tell us a bit more about what you do at Tactile?
André: Of course! I am a QA Automation Engineer, what we get up to is top secret 😉 But really, our job is to write automation scripts which continually test our games to make sure we catch any bugs as early as possible. We work in close coordination with the QA team to ensure we have broad testing coverage of our games and are continually designing and creating new scrips, maintaining and updating older scripts, and finding new and innovative ways to improve our automation tests even further.
Tactile: What was your journey to becoming a QA Automation Engineer?
André: I started my journey as a Performance Analyst in the banking industry. It didn’t take long for us to realize the immense need for automated solutions in the software development lifecycle. My employer at the time was diversifying and had opened a new automation branch, and I volunteered to join as soon as I heard, since I was really interested and excited about the potential and power of automation. Fast forward a few years and now I am automating for one of the most awesome companies in the gaming industry!
Tactile: What do you like the most about the team you’re working with?
André: We have a very diverse team from all around the world and they are exceptionally talented and amazing to work with. I enjoy the workplace culture of our team so much, it’s really cool to work on games with a bunch of gamers! The dedication and commitment that the QA team has for the quality of our games inspires me everyday, and it is great to be a part of it!
Tactile: What is the most rewarding part of your job?
André: The thing I find most rewarding about automation is the problem solving. I love a challenge and with automation there is a new challenge on the table every day! Automation testing in gaming is a very young and a fast developing field – there is always something new to learn new ways to look at and implement solutions. It is most rewarding when you’ve been working hard at developing a solution for a complex automation scenario and witnessing it successfully running at the end of the day!
Tactile: For people who would like to start their career, what do you think are the most important qualities that every Game Designer should have?
André: I think the single most important attribute for success in anything is attitude. I believe the famous quote that belongs to Henry Ford reads “Whether you think you can or you can’t, either way, you are right.” A willingness to learn, to solve problems and to think outside the box with and an “I can” attitude – will go a very long way!
Tactile: When you’re not at work, you are …
André: When I’m not at work, you’ll most likely find me in the forest on my mountain bike. And if I can find some “jumps” to jump, even better! Other than that, my wife and I love traveling and exploring new places. And when we’re not doing that, we’re getting comfy at home, kicking it back and enjoying a good game, book, movie or TV show.
